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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24369730">growth</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullmetalscully/pseuds/fullmetalscully'>fullmetalscully</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Moms Made Fullmetal Week 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family, Gen, Happy Ending, Post-Canon, coming home</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 11:14:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>582</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24369730</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullmetalscully/pseuds/fullmetalscully</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Moms Made Fullmetal Week 2020 Day 2 - Growth or School or First Steps</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Moms Made Fullmetal Week 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1758241</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Moms Made Fullmetal Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>growth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>thank you <a> waddiwasiwitch </a> for creating such a lovely event for us to celebrate the mothers of fma</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pinako Rockbell muttered to herself under her breath as she heard a commotion from the front of her house. Irritably, she ascended the staircase. Someone had interrupted her work, and she wasn’t pleased. Winry knew not to interrupt her while working on a new design. Once she was in the zone, Pinako would go until all ideas had made themselves to paper, lest she forget them. However, there was so much shouting and so much barking from Den that she couldn’t leave it be. Plus, if Winry was facing some kind of issue, then she’d happily step in and handle the situation.</p><p>“What on <em>earth</em>, –” Pinako froze.</p><p>Winry was lying on the grass while Den circled her, barking. His butt waggled in the air playfully. She could hear her granddaughter crying. Two sets of legs stuck out beneath Winry, along with… a walking stick?</p><p>Who was this?</p><p>Winry pushed herself up to her knees and turned to grin at her grandmother, tears falling down her cheeks. Two young men joined her, turning their gaze towards Pinako on the porch.</p><p>“Hey Granny,” Edward grinned up at her. His eyes were twinkling happily, and she still wasn’t sure why.</p><p>“Hey,” the boy next to him greeted.</p><p>Pinako’s eyes settled on the stranger. She scrutinised his face for a moment, noting his similarity to Edward, but her brain couldn’t make the connection –</p><p>And then it did. Jarringly so.</p><p>“<em>Alphonse</em>?” she gasped in shock as realisation set in. Her mouth parted and it remained open, gaping at the young man.</p><p>He… He was so <em>tall</em>. The last time she’d seen Alphonse he’d almost been her height. That sweet boy… Then he’d shot up, trapped in that suit of armour, but saved by his brother. It was better than nothing, Pinako had thought. Although she was terrified and uncertainty created anxiety inside her gut for his future, at least he was still <em>here</em> with them.</p><p>After losing Trisha she’d taken in those two kids as her own, and then the unthinkable happened. She felt she’d failed them both. To see them set off on her journey, she’d hated the thought. She worried about them constantly, despite them not being her own flesh and blood, however Pinako knew family didn’t end with blood.</p><p>They’d done it…</p><p>Winry stood and helped them both to their feet. Edward hopped up no problem, then turned to help her granddaughter ease his brother to his feet. He shook unsteadily, but once he had his stick on the ground and secure, Alphonse relaxed and grinned up at Pinako. His eyes were shining with moisture as he smiled.</p><p>“Come inside!” Winry beckoned, gripping Alphonse’s hand tightly while Edward placed a hand on his brother’s back to guide him indoors. “You’ve got so much to tell us!” Her excitement was infectious.</p><p>As the climbed in the steps, both brothers paused in front of Pinako. They grinned at her, waiting for her to say something.</p><p>“You two boys,” Pinako murmured as tears threatened to overwhelm her.</p><p>They’d done it.</p><p>She was finally seeing Alphonse for the first time in years.</p><p>Pinako pulled them in close, hugging them tight.</p><p>Yes. This was definitely worth the interruption. It always would be because they were finally <em>home</em>.</p><p>“Wait!” Pinako cried abruptly, pulling away. “You have two arms!” she exclaimed, blinking up Edward. She was so shocked to finally see Alphonse again, she hadn’t noticed.</p><p>He laughed and grinned happily at her. “Come on, we’ll tell you all about it!”</p>
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